Arkansas Farmers Suing Monsanto, BASF over Dicamba

A group of Arkansas farmers is suing Monsanto and BASF over dicamba-based herbicide spray drift that killed neighboring crops that are not tolerant to dicamba. The lawsuit comes as Arkansas’s Plant Board voted Tuesday to limit Dicamba applications of Engenia herbicide to hooded sprayers only, with a one-mile downwind buffer. Engenia is the only dicamba-based herbicide that can be used in Arkansas after April 15th. The lawsuit filed last week claims Monsanto and BASF implemented and controlled the dicamba crop system, releasing seed technology without a corresponding, safe, and approved herbicide. The farmers allege that Monsanto and BASF sold the dicamba crop system while knowing it could wipe out crops, fruits, and trees that are not dicamba tolerant. The farmers claim that those who do not plant dicamba tolerant crops are left with no protection from the herbicide.

Arkansas is investigating more than 100 dicamba drift complaints this year.